ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--There are more than 50 million people living in modern slavery and exploitation worldwide, yet less than 1% of survivors are identified and even fewer receive the care they need. Identifying survivors and connecting them with critical resources is a monumental challenge.
EverFree, a nonprofit organization that supports survivors through data-driven, survivor-led solutions, has launched Freedom Lifemap, a tool to connect participants with a tech-based needs assessment that enables access to vital services, prevents exploitation, and equips global efforts with data and solutions.
“Freedom isn’t an automatic outcome when a survivor leaves a situation of human trafficking or exploitation. Freedom Lifemap addresses every aspect of an individual’s wellbeing and enables the easy identification of key priorities needed to attain true freedom and prevent exploitation,” said Kelsey Morgan, Co-Founder and CEO of EverFree. “The platform is revolutionary because it combines the lived experiences of survivors with rigorous research to create a tool that truly meets their needs.”
EverFree partnered with the UC Irvine Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation to develop Freedom Lifemap. Morgan and Dr. Angela Robinson, Research and Evaluation Consultant at UCI, co-created the tool in collaboration with a global cohort of survivors. By working closely with survivors, the team identified six areas of well-being to address.
- Health & Basic Needs: Access to healthcare, nutrition, and basic needs
- Rights & Safety: Legal support, protection services, and rights education
- Housing & Access: Safe housing options and access to essential services
- Education, Employment, & Finances: Financial literacy, job training, and employment opportunities
- Community & Connection: Social connections, community integration, and support networks
- Mental & Emotional Well-Being: Counseling, therapy, and emotional support resources
In 2023-2024, Freedom Lifemap was trialed in seven countries: Kenya, Uganda, the Philippines, Cambodia, Bolivia, Mexico, and the U.S., and the highest proportion of survivors in all seven countries prioritized finance, education, and employment. This critical insight reveals that the needs and priorities of survivors are remarkably similar across diverse settings and can be addressed through economic and educational opportunities.
The Freedom Lifemap platform allows the EverFree global network to learn what is most important to survivors and vulnerable individuals and scale effective prevention and aftercare solutions. Organizations around the world can adapt Freedom Lifemap into their programming to meet the needs of their community of survivors. These survivors select the indicators they want to prioritize and work with their case study manager to connect with resources and identify solutions. Freedom Lifemap allows survivors to track their progress toward freedom and select new priorities. This survivor-centered approach ensures Freedom Lifemap is practical, effective, and deeply resonant.
Last year, EverFree connected with 1,562 vulnerable individuals to empower them with care that will help them achieve freedom forever. Freedom Lifemap will help substantially increase EverFree’s reach in its vision to end modern slavery and exploitation.
Learn more about Freedom Lifemap.
About EverFree
Every year millions of women and children around the world are enslaved and exploited, and less than 1% get the help they need to heal and thrive. EverFree is on a mission to change that. Working hand-in-hand with local leaders, survivors, and our community of donors, EverFree restores and empowers survivors and supports communities to end trafficking. Learn more at everfree.org.
